Trade guns for Vons gift cards in Santa Barbara

June 10, 2014

Those who value Vons gift cards more than firearms will have the opportunity to swap commodities on Saturday in Santa Barbara. [KEYT]

The Santa Barbara Police Department will host a gun buyback program from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Earl Warren Showgrounds parking lot. Participants can anonymously turn in handguns rifles and shotguns, as well as ammunition.

Police will issue $100 gift cards in exchange for functioning handguns and $200 cards for firearms classified that California classifies as assault weapons.

“This is not about gun control,” Santa Barbara Police Chief Cam Sanchez said. “This is about getting guns out of people’s homes that are not necessary, that they want to get rid of, that they don’t know what to do with, that they just feel they don’t need anymore.”

Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Schneider also touted the buyback at a press conference about the program.

“There are many things that different government agencies can do on a variety of levels to reduce gun violence in our community, and this is one of them,” Schneider said.